West End Citizen's Association: November 2013

Please see the information and agenda below for our next WECA meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Nov 21^st at 7pm, as well as two other items of interest. And congratulation to our new City of Rockville Mayor (Bridget Donnell Newton) and Councilmembers (Beryl Feinberg, Tom Moore, Virginia Onley and Julie Palakovich Carr) who were sworn recently!

1. Agenda for WECA Executive Board Meeting on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 7:00pam at the Rockville Presbyterian Church (215 W. Montgomery Avenue). Parking is available in the lot off of Harrison Street.

7:00pm - Welcome and Organizational/Business Items

· Approval of Minutes from Sep and Oct 2013

· Treasurer’s Report

· Block Captains

· December Meeting- recommend 2nd Thursday Dec 12^th

· Report from City

· Report from Lt. Over

7:20pm - Review status of on-going development projects

· Update on Historic Designation of 628 Great Falls Road

· Denial of continuing historic designation process for the pink bank

· Reconsideration of decision on Daycare Center at 731 W. Montgomery Avenue

7:30pm - Presentation by Kettler on proposed revisions to project at 255 N. Washington St.

8:00pm - Discussion of Committee on Preventing excessive institutional development in the West End

8:30pm - Adjourn

2. Post Application Area Meeting for Brightview Rockville Town Center (proposed senior housing development at 285 North Washington Street - west of the new Walgreen’s store that fronts on Hungerford Drive).

Shelter Development, LLC, a Maryland‑based owner and operator of senior living communities throughout the Mid‑Atlantic region, has prepared and submitted to the City of Rockville, a Site Plan Application, assigned Application No. STP2014-00189, for its newest planned community currently called "Brightview Rockville Town Center." The project will be a 195 unit senior housing community with 117 independent living units, 78 assisted living units and street level retail available to the public. The site is located north of Beall Avenue on part of the former Giant Food site and at the future corner of Maryland Avenue extended and Dawson Avenue extended east of North Washington Street. The site's location may also be described as "behind," or west of, the new Walgreens store that fronts on Hungerford Drive. You are invited to a Site Plan post-application filing area meeting.

AREA MEETING DATE AND TIME:

· December 3, 2013, 6:00-7:00PM

· Location: Rockville Library in Rockville Town Square, First Floor Meeting Room, 21 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850

CONTACTS:

· Andrew Teeters, Vice President of Development, Shelter Development, LLC at 410-246-7486 or ateeters@sheltergrp.com

· Timothy Dugan, Esq., Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A. at 301-230-5228 or dugan@shulmanrogers.com

NOTICE OF DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE (DRC) DATE AND TIME:

· December 5, 2013, 11:00AM

· City of Rockville, 111 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850

For additional information, please contact Cas Chasten, Project Planner, City of Rockville, at (240) 314-8223 or see: http://www.rockvillemd.gov/documentcenter/view/6382

3. A notice from our Rockville City Police department on recent Utility Scams

Crime Tip: Utility Scams

Across the country there has been an increase various types of Utility Scams. The Rockville City Police Department would like to provide residents with ways to protect themselves against these types of scams.

Phone Call Scam

A victim receives a call from someone claiming to be with their local utility company. The caller says that they’re about to cut off your service due to an overdue bill. The caller then tells the victim that they can stop prevent the cutoff, if the victim provides them with a debit, credit card or a Green Dot MoneyPak or some other type of money card. IT’S A SCAM. Should you receive such a call, do the following:

*Check the phone number the caller is calling phone and make a note of it. Many scammers use “spoofed” telephone numbers that actually look like your local utility company, but are not. When in doubt, call your local utility company’s customer service number to verify your account.

*Pull out your last utility bill statement and ask the caller to tell you the account number and the amount due.

*Never ever give out your personal information, such as your credit card, social security number, date of birth, etc.

*Hang up on the caller and contact your local police department and your utility company. If possible, please provide to the police the caller’s name, company they supposed stated they were with, and if you have caller ID, the phone number from which the caller has called from.

Utility Worker Imposter Scam

SCAM #1 - A subject posing as a Utility Employee knocks at the door and states to the victim that there is a major water leak (or gas leak) in the area and that he/she needs to come inside the house to check the pipes/lines in the basement. The unsuspecting victim allows the worker into the home and takes them down to the basement to view the pipes/lines. While the victim and the worker are in the basement, a second subject enters and removes valuables from the home. Then after a few minutes the worker tells the victim that all is okay and that he/she needs to leave. It isn’t until later that the victim discovers their property missing.

SCAM #2 – A subject posing as a Utility Employee arrives at the victim’s residence and tells the victim that they have an overdue bill. The subject then tries to solicit a “payment” from the victim in order to avoid a cut off of their utility.

SCAM #3 – A subject posing as a Utility Employee arrives at the victim’s residence and tells them that he/she is there to reset the victim’s meter. The subject then tells the victim that there is a monetary charge for the service, and if the victim doesn’t comply, then he/she will be back to remove the meter.

IT’S A SCAM. Should you have someone arrive at your door stating that they are with a utility company, do the following:

*Ask to see their company ID. If the individual does not have the property ID then contact the police immediately.

*If you are unsure of the Worker’s ID, contact the utility company to verify the employee and about the nature of the work that is to be done.

*Utility workers do not collect a bill payment by going to residences. Nor do they engage in soliciting products or services.

*Never let anyone in your home to check for electrical wiring, natural gas pipes or appliances unless you have schedule an appointment or reported a problem.

If you have any questions regarding utility services, solicitation or fraud, contact your local utility company:

· PEPCO customer service – 202-833-7500 / http://www.pepco.com

· WSSC customer service – 301-206-9772 / http://www.wsscwater.com

· City of Rockville Water – 240-314-8420

· Washington Gas customer service – 703-750-1000 / http://www.washgas.com

You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357

To report a crime contact the Rockville City Police Department – 240-314-8900

__._,_.___